The Akwamumanhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, has censured and sanctioned the Adumhene, Nana Otu Akoto of the Akwamu Traditional Area
According to Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, the decision to censure Nana Otu Akoto followed various offences he had committed contrary to the customs and traditions of Akwamuman.
At the gathering of Chiefs at the Bogyawe Palace, Akwamufie, on Saturday, January 7, 2023, the Adumhene was relieved of his prominent positions for gross insubordination towards the Akwamu Paramountcy, particularly for flouting the great Oath of the ‘Amanpong Kofi’ Stool of Akwamuman; disrespect to fellow Nananom; disrespect to his Stool Elders, and other offences.
He loses all the prestigious positions he held at Paramountcy including, Senior Member of Akwamuhene Gyase, Senior Member of the Aduana Abrade group of Akwamu, Keeper of Gyabun, one of the deities of Akwamuman, etc.
Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III imposed the long-held traditional sanctions prescribed by the Akwamu constitution for such uncustomary conduct by chiefs.
The move, he noted, is to bring sanity to Akwamuman after the long-protracted litigation that engulfed Akwamuman.
Read also: Akwamu state holds thanksgiving service to mark end of 30-year-old dispute
Nananom heard submissions from the Adumhene’s family, who came from Abokobi and Akwamufie, and concluded that the family equally contributed to his bad conduct and, therefore, were slapped with a fine of seven (7) rams, seven (7) cartons of schnapps.
The family was also slapped with a fine of GH₵ 7,000.00 for failure to report the Adumhene to his superior chiefs and Nananom (elders of the traditional council).
Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III in his speech to the gathering, reminded Nananom that: “The institution of Chieftaincy is a sacred one, and things that are uncustomary should not be allowed to desecrate the stools we are occupying.”
Read also: Eschew unproductive litigation, work towards Akwamu growth – Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III 
The Akwamumanhene vowed to protect the sanctity of the customs and traditions that have guided and helped Akwamuman to a prominent position in history to date.
He made it absolutely clear that any chief, irrespective of his status, who goes contrary to the customs and traditions of Akwamu, will be censured, sanctioned and eventually destooled if there is no change in conduct.
The family of the sanctioned Adumhene thanked Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III and promised to return to the Bogyawe Palace in 40 days.
Peace after decades of dispute
The Akwamu area has in recent times witnessed some stability following the peaceful resolution of a dispute that endured for three decades.
The dispute pertained to the rightful occupant of the Akwamu Stool, following the demise of the late Odeneho Kwafo Akoto II circa 1992, who happened to be the grand uncle of the current Akwamumanhene.
It involved Abusuapanyin Kojo Kyer Addaquay and Abrewatia Love Adwo Som who filed a lawsuit against Nana Afrakoma II, Nana Nyarkoa (Benkumhemaa), Nana Asomani (Amanguahene) and Kwabena Owiredu.
The petitioners challenged the eligibility of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, the Paramount Chief of Akwamu, stating that the chief was an outsider who was not from the royal family.
They also held that the process through which he ascended the throne about 12 years ago, was not in conformity with the customs of Akwamuman.
However, hearing the case, the court ruled that the evidence, facts, history, custom and all the exhibits presented before them affirmed that to ascend to the black stool of Akwamu, a candidate must of necessity come from either the house of Yaa Ansaa or Yaa Botwe.
The court also said there was no established system of rotation in Akwamu to ascend to the Paramount stool.
The court thus affirmed Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III as the paramount chief of the Akwamu Traditional Area.
There are more images from the gathering below:
